Electric lighting fixture construction



Aug. 27, 1957 s $1EGEL 2,804,542

ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

- HENRY s.5\EeE\ A TTOIQ/VE X Aug. 27,1957 H. s. SIEGEL ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE CONSTRUCTION Filed March so, 1955 2 Shee'ts-Shee-t 2 INVENTOR.

HENR S. SPEGEL. BY W ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE CONSTRUCTIGN Henry S. iegel, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application March 3%, 1955, Serial No. 497,944

3 Claims. (Cl. 24tl78) This invention relates generally to electric lighting fixtures and more particularly to an improved construction of a candelabra type thereof.

A candelabra type electric lighting fixture may have a centrally located axially extending member by means of which the fixture may be suspended from a ceiling. Such an axially extending member conveniently terminates in a wire-splice housing which carries a plurality of light mounting branches that extend outwardly from the wiresplice housing and then upwardly, terminating in means for mounting the lights. The branches aforesaid ordinarily are separate and distinct each from the others and are connected to the wire-splice housing simply by projecting their inner end portions through openings in the wall of the wire-splice housing and securing the same against displacement with nuts threaded thereon and seated against the Wall of the housing. Electric wires run downwardly through the axially extending member aforesaid and into the wire-splice housing, where they are suitably spliced to other wires which run from the wiresplice housing through the several branches to supply the lights mounted thereon with electric current. The several branches may be arranged in groups that are angularly spaced suitably about the central axis of the fixture. In addition, the branches of each group may all be located in the same vertical plane, parallel to one another.

Certain disadvantages are inherent in the construction of electric lighting fixtures just described. An important disadvantage is that any branch of a particular group may become loose and turn about the axis of its inner end portion so as to throw the outer, upright portion thereof out of alinement with the corresponding upright portions of the other branches of the group, in consequence of which the symmetry of the fixture is disturbed and the fixture takes on an unbalanced unsightly appearance. Another disadvantage is that the required minimum distance between the connections that secure the branches of a group to the wire-splice housing corresponds to the required minimum distance between the nuts employed to effect these connections, in consequence of which the minimum distance between the inner ends of the branches of the group is unduly great, the wire-splice housing, of course, having a correspondingly greater than necessary depth. Still another disadvantage is that in assembling the wire-splice housing and the several branches, the branches are each connected to the wire-splice housing by a separate and distinct operation, in consequence of which the assembling operation is unduly complicated, time consuming and expensive.

Having in mind the foregoing, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a fixture generally of the character described hereinabove wherein the branches of a particular group are secured together to form a unitary assembly in which the branches are relatively fixed and permanently secured against relative misalinement, and wherein the unitary branch assembly is adapted to be handled as a unit while being connected to the wire-splice Patented Aug. 27, 1957 housing, in consequence of which the assembling operation is simple, less time consuming, and comparatively inexpenslve.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the fixture with such a unitary branch assembly which is connected to the wire-splice housing by simplified means whereby the unitary branch assembly as a whole is secured against angular displacement, and whereby the required distance between the inner ends of the branches of the group, as well as the required depth of the Wire-splice housing are reduced to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a fixture constructed in accordance with and embodying the general principles of the present invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a candelabra type lighting fixture embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing in elevation the inner end of a unitary branch assembly and the nuts by which the same is connected to the wire-splice housing, the latter being shown fragmentarily in vertical section; and

Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the candelabra type lighting fixture embodying the present invention comprises a centrally located axially extending member designated generally by the nu meral 10 conventionally including :a tubular member 11 embraced by a second tubular member 12, the lower extremity of the latter being seated upon a nut 13 threaded upon the lower extremity of the member 11.

The member 10 conventionally carries a common wiresplice housing designated generally by the numeral 14 including a plate member 15 that has a centrally located fiat area 16 which is surrounded by an annularly extending axially flared area 17. The lower extremity of the tubular member 11 is projected centrally through the flat area 17, which is disposed in underlying abutting relation to the nut 13. The outer marginal portion of the flared area 17 is turned down over the upper edge 18 of an underlying cylindrical shell 19, as at 20. Underlying the shell 19 is a plate member 21 that has a centrally located dished area 22 which is surrounded by an annular fiat area 23. The outer marginal portion of the annular flat area 23 is turned up over the lower edge 24 of the shell 19, as at 25. The plate members 15 and 21 and the cylindrical shell 19 interposed therebetween, of course, afford an enclosure for wire splices, respectively forming the top cover, the bottom and a circumferentially extending main wall for the housing or enclosure.

The wire-splice housing 14 is secured to the member 10 by conventional means comprising a flat strap connector 26 bent to U-shape and threaded by one leg onto the lower extremity of the member 11. The connector 26 serves to secure to the member 11 a nipple 27 that is threaded into the other leg of the connector 26, the nipple 27 being disposed thereby in axially alined underlying spaced relation to the member 11 with its lower extremity projecting centrally through the plate member 21, which is seated upon a knob 28 that is threaded onto the nipple 27. Thus the wire-splice housing 141s secured between r 3 the knob 28 and the nut 13 against axial shifting movement.

The wire-splice housing 14 carriers a plurality of L- shaped tubular light mounting branches arranged in groups equally spaced angularlya'bout the housing 14. Each group comprises inner, intermediate and outer branches respectively designated 29, 30 and 31 all located in the same vertical plane. These branches extend outwardly horizontally from the housing 14 in parallel spaced relation and then turn and continue upward vertically in parallel spaced relation, terminating in means 32 for mounting lights 33.

The corresponding tubular portions of the branches 29, 30 and 31 that extend outwardly horizontally from the housing 14, respectively designated 34, 35 and 36, are separated by elongated spacer elements 37 and 38, the spacer 37 being interposed between the tubular portions 34 and 35, and the spacer 38 being interposed between the tubular portions 35 and 36. The spacer element 37 is generally round in cross section and is provided with diametrically opposed longitudinally extending grooves 39 and 40 which respectively provide seats for the tubular portions 34 and 35. The spacer 38 is similar to the spacer 37 in cross section, being provided with grooves 41 and 42 which respectively provide seats for the tubular portions 35 and 36.

The inner ends of the spacers 37 and 38 are flat and positioned even with the inner end of the tubular portion 35, which portion is interposed between the spacers 37 and 38. The inner ends of the tubular portions 34 and 36, which portions respectively overlie the spacer 37 and underlie the spacer 38, project inwardly beyond the vertically alined inner ends of the tubular portion 35 and the spacers 37 and 38, being externally threaded respectively as indicated at 43 and 44. The outer ends of the spacers 37 and 38 are rounded, and the spacer 38 is greater in length than the spacer 37. The tubular portions 34, 35 and 36 and the spacers 37 and 38 are all rigidly secured together permanently, as by welding or brazing, in order to form thereof a unitary assembly designated generally by the numeral 45.

For securing the unitary branch assembly 45 to the wire-splice housing 14, the inner end portions of the assembly 45 that are externally threaded as aforesaid respectively register with and project freely through openings 46 formed in the main wall 19 of the housing, and nuts 47-47 respectively threaded thereon serve to draw the inner ends of the tubular portion 35 and the spacers 37 and 38 each tight against the outer surface of the main wall 19 of the housing and to secure the assembly against displacement. In this assembled condition of the unitary branch assembly 45 and the wire-splice housing 14, the hollow interior of the tubular portion 35 is disposed in registry with an opening 48 formed in the main wall 19 of the housing.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, the fixture is conventionally wired by running the electric wires designated 4949 down through the tubular member 11 and splicing the same at 59 and 51 (in the wire splice housing 14) to other wires designated 52 that extend into the branches 29, 30 and 31 of the several assemblies 45.

It will be appreciated that the branches 29, 30 and 31 of an assembly 45 are secured against relative misalinement by reason of being rigidly secured together permanently, and further that the assembly 45 is secured against angular displacement as a whole by the very nature of its connection to the wire-splice housing 14. Likewise it will be appreciated that since the tubular portion 35, which is not extended through the main wall 19 and fitted with a nut 47, is interposed between the tubular portions 34 and 36, each of which latter is extended through the main wall 19 and fitted with a nut 47, the required minimum distance between the nuts 47-47 threaded respectively on the tubular portions 34 and 36 is not the controlling factor for determining the spacing of the tubular portions 34, 35 and 36, in consequence of which this spacing and the depth of the main wall 19 may be reduced to a minimum while, at the same time, the distance between the nuts 4747 is increased. In addition, it will be appreciated that the operation of connecting an assembly 45 to the housing 14 is facilitated 'by reason of the fact that the assembly 45 can be handled as a unit and the nuts 47 to be contended with are fewer in number, in consequence of which the operation is simple, less time consuming, and comparatively inexpensive.

While the fixture shown and described is a type that can be suspended from a ceiling, it will be understood that the present invention may likewise be embodied in a floor or table supported fixture or in a wall supported fixture. In addition, while the unitary branch assembly 45 is shown and described as having three branches 29, 30 and 31, the assembly 45 can have only two branches or more than three branches. In every case, the ends of two of the branches extend freely into openings in the main wall 19 of the housing 14 and preferably but not necessarily both extend inwardly beyond the main wall 19 a distance suflicient for mounting nuts 47. In cases where there are more than three branches, preferably but not necessarily, those that extend freely into the open ings in the main wall 19 as aforesaid are the inner and outer branches corresponding respectively to the branches 29 and 31 of the embodiment shown and described hereinbefore, and those that terminate at the main wall 19, without extending into or through the same are the intermediate branches each corresponding to the intermediate branch 30 of the embodiment shown and described hereinbefore.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit thereof, and it is accordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a candelabra type electric lighting fixture, an enclosure having an upright outer wall, at least one group of light mounting tubular branches carried by and extending outwardly from said wall, said enclosure and branches being adapted to accommodate electric wires running into and through the latter to said lights, spacer means interposed respectively between adjacent pairs of inner end branch portions and fixing said branches relative to one another independently of said wall, said inner end branch portions and the spacers therebetween extending horizontally parallel to one another, the inner terminal of said spacers abutting the outer face of said Wall and a pair of said inner end branch portions being projected freely through said wall, at least one of the latter being fitted with means engaging the inner face of said wall and operating to hold the assembly comprising said branches and the spacers therefor to said wall.

2. In a candelabra type electric lighting fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein the light mounting tubular branches in each group thereof are at least three in number, the several inner end branch portions are disposed in a common plane, the remote inner end branch portions are projected freely through the enclosure wall, and the inner end branch portions and spacers interposed between said remote inner end branch portions abut the outer face of said wall.

3. In a candelabra type electric lighting fixture, an enclosure having an upright cylindrical outer wall, a plurality of groups of outwardly radially extending light mounting tubular branches circumferentially spaced about said wall, the branches in each group being at least three in number and disposed in a common upright plane with the inner end portions thereof in registry with apertures formed in said enclosure wall, said enclosure and branches being adapted to accommodate electric wires running into and through the former and through the latter to said lights, spacer means for each group of branches interposed respectively between adjacent pairs of inner end branch portions and fixing said branches relative to one another independently of said wall, said inner end branch portions and the spacers therebetween extending horizontally parallel to one another, the remote inner end branch portions being projected freely through the associated apertures aforesaid, the inner end branch portions and spacers interposed between said remote inner end branch portions being disposed in abutting relation to the outer face of said enclosure wall, and said remote inner end branch portions being fitted with means engaging the inner face of said wall and operating to hold the assembly of branches and spacers to said enclosure wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,408,588 Growald Mar. 7, 1922 10 2,277,611 Schaaf Mar. 24, 1942 2,316,589 Iwanowicz Apr. 13, 1943 

